"I have had," observes the philosophic statesman, "several servants far gone in divinity, others in poetry; have known, in the families of some friends; a keeper deep in the Rosicrucian mysteries and a laundress firm in those of Epicurus."] "What has made you so bitter ?" said Sir Christopher.
"My valet," cried Lord St.George,--"he has invented a new toasting-fork, is going to take out a patent, make his fortune, and leave me; that's what I call ingratitude, Sir Christopher; for I ordered his wages to be raised five pounds but last year." "It was very ungrateful," said the ironical Clarence.
"Very!" reiterated the good-hearted Sir Christopher.
"You cannot recommend me a valet, Findlater," renewed his lordship, "a good, honest, sensible fellow, who can neither read nor write ?" "N-o-o,--that is to say, yes! I can; my old servant Collard is out of place, and is as ignorant as--as--" "I--or you are ?" said Lord St.George, with a laugh.
"Precisely," replied the baronet.
"Well, then, I take your recommendation: send him to me to-morrow at twelve." "I will," said Sir Christopher.
"My dear Findlater," cried Clarence, when Lord St.George was gone, "did you not tell me, some time ago, that Collard was a great rascal, and very intimate with Jefferies?
and now you recommend him to Lord St.
George!" "Hush, hush, hush!" said the baronet; "he was a great rogue to be sure: but, poor fellow, he came to me yesterday with tears in his eyes, and said he should starve if I would not give him a character; so what could I do ?" "At least, tell Lord St.George the truth," observed Clarence.
"But then Lord St.George would not take him!" rejoined the good-hearted Sir Christopher, with forcible naivete.

"No, no, Linden, we must not be so hard-hearted; we must forgive and forget;" and so saying, the baronet threw out his chest, with the conscious exultation of a man who has uttered a noble sentiment.

The moral of this little history is that Lord St.George, having been pillaged "through thick and thin," as the proverb has it, for two years, at last missed a gold watch, and Monsieur Collard finished his career as his exemplary tutor, Mr.John Jefferies, had done before him.

Ah! what a fine thing it is to have a good heart! But to return.

Just as our wanderers had arrived at the farther end of the park, Lady Westborough and her daughter passed them.